Eric Holder offers Darrell Issa 'extraordinary' deal

Attorney General Eric Holder made a new offer to House Republicans on Thursday to defuse the growing controversy over the “Fast and Furious” program, the latest bid to derail a contempt vote against Holder set for next week.

In a letter to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Holder said he was prepared to make “an extraordinary accommodation” to congressional investigators by turning over internal DOJ documents to the House panel related to Fast and Furious. Holder has previously asserted that such documents are not covered by committee subpoenas.

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In addition, Holder wants to meet personally with Issa by Monday to ensure they can reach a deal.

”The Department’s willingness to provide these materials is a serious, good faith effort to bring this matter to an amicable resolution,” Holder said in his letter to Issa. “However, because as the Chairman only you have the authority to bind the committee, I continue to believe that a meeting is required both to assure that there are no misunderstandings about this matter and to confirm that the elements of the proposal we are making will be deemed sufficient to render the process of contempt unnecessary. I seek your direct engagement for precisely that reason, and I propose that the meeting occur by Monday, June 18, 2012.”

Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee this week that the contempt vote was a looming “constitutional crisis” between the executive and legislative branches of government and needs to be resolved quickly.

Aides to Issa, though, were unwilling to say whether Holder’s offer was enough to postpone Wednesday’s contempt vote until they have time to go through the materials provided by DOJ.

“We’ll look at those documents and the committee’s response to the Department of Justice will be based on [what we find] after reviewing the documents the Department of Justice’s chooses to have there,” said a committee source.

This source noted that Holder and the Justice Department have now “altered their opposition” to turning over the internal deliberative documents. “Hopefully, he’ll be willing and will continue to waive that objection that he has articulated on other concerns about Operation Fast and Furious, including items related to the treatment of whistleblowers,” the source said.

I couldn't be more tired of hearing about Issa's "criminal past". How many of us have done dumb stuff as teenagers? A lot. But guess what-- he made the most of his crime (grand larceny) by turning around and making a POSITIVE CHANGE-- namely, creating a hugely- successful car alarm company that has employed thousands of American workers. Aren't we as a country supposed to believe in redemption?

I'm sure if he were a black politician you yourself would be screaming "raaaaaaacist" at the childish allusions to his past criminal activity.

The man made a real, positive change that is documented by real facts and figures-- including all of the lives of the people whose cars his alarms have helped protect. More than we can say for the "change" promised by this administration.

As Colin Powell recently just said at graduation, "it's not where you start in life-- it's where you end up." Issa is a patriot and a United States Senator trying to help get to the bottom of a feckless gun-running program that has the blood of our own citizens on its hands. I'd venture to guess most people think he has a lot to be proud of.

"In his latest missive, Holder said “the Department has identified documents that, while outside the scope of the Committee’s interest in the inappropriate tactics used in Fast and Furious, are responsive to how the Department’s understanding of the facts regarding that matter evolved throughout 2011 and how the Department came to withdraw its February 4, 2011 letter to Senator Grassley.”

So, instead of producing the documents that Issa wants, Holder will supply documents that the committee isn't interested in? What the heck kind of deal is that.

Republicans should just keep up contempt vote, sooner or later the guys going to be forced to comply.

This is nothing more than another stall,smoke and mirrors tactic by Holder to buy some time.He has no more intention of admitting his involvement in F&F than A-Jad does in admitting he really is making nukes. There is NO reason for Issa to make any kind of a deal if he truly has the balls to do his job. Issa holds all the cards and he should give Holder 2 options-Start singing or start packing-For Leavenworth .

Issa has committed FELONIES ..... and the republicans put him as head of an OVERSIGHT committee. If you don't see the problem with this, you're blinded by political ideology. If you think Issa is some great patriot, you must watch FOX News.